Inside the Connor Hellebuyck trade: Devils GM Sunny Mehta’s full-court press ends the Jets saga

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff on Sunny Mehta and the Devils' pursuit: “When Sunny got serious, he got serious real quick.”

By The Athletic NHL Staff · The Athletic

Published: Friday, 23 October 2026 at 9:58 PM

Key Things to Know

Devils GM Sunny Mehta completed a seven-piece trade to acquire goaltender Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets.
The trade sends forward Dawson Mercer and recent first-round pick Alexander Command to the Jets.
Hellebuyck's move ends a protracted standoff after he initially requested a trade and failed to report to camp.

The Story in 60 Seconds

The New Jersey Devils acquired goaltender Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets in a seven-piece trade finalized on Friday. New Jersey general manager Sunny Mehta launched an aggressive push over a 48-hour period to seal the agreement with Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, concluding a prolonged trade saga following Hellebuyck's initial offseason request.

Winnipeg received forward Dawson Mercer and prospect Alexander Command as part of the trade package. Despite Mehta's traditional reluctance to heavily invest in netminders, New Jersey moved for the multi-time Vezina Trophy winner after struggling defensively and sitting 28th in goals saved above expected through a 6-4-0 start.

Read the full article on The Athletic

Inside the Connor Hellebuyck trade: Devils GM Sunny Mehta’s full-court press ends the Jets saga

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